Video Evidence Contradicts Border Patrol Accounts

The video shows part of the build up before the incident, with several individuals running underneath the Puente Negro, a railroad span that connects the two countries.

Monday night's incident started around 6:30 p.m. when border patrol agents responded to a report of a group of suspected illegal immigrants being smuggled into the United States near the Paso del Norte port of entry, FBI Special Agent Andrea Simmons said.

In the distance, a U.S. border patrol officer on his bicycle can be seen making his way toward the area. Seconds later, the officer can be seen getting off his bicycle and approaching two of the four suspected Mexican nationals who had just crossed through an opening in the fence. One of the suspects is detained by the officer, but never handcuffed, and instead dragged a short distance. This happened on the U.S. side of the border.

Moments later, the officer points what appears to be his firearm in the direction of a second suspect, standing about 60 feet away from the officer -- on the Mexican side of the border. The video shows the suspect running away.

I can only imagine what the border patrol agent's reasoning was behind his account of the situation and why it is so different from what is depicted in the video. I think that while this issue may be an isolated event, it raises questions as to how many times situations like this unfolded and conflicting evidence was never presented. I also think that considering the passage of Arizona's immigration bill and the growing animosity towards Mexican immigrants (especially from the conservative fringe), events like this may even become accepted by certain percentages of the population.